I Love the Smell of Photopolymer in the Afternoon...

You know, when you buy as few stamps as I have in the past two years, the smell of them hits you like a rare and wonderful blessing.

I'm reminded of that scene in When Harry Met Sally, but I'm not sure why, because the joy that comes from the smell of high-quality photopolymer rising from a freshly opened U.S. postal service cardboard box can't be faked. 

Maybe I just love When Harry Met Sally. Who's with me?

Of course you are. Meg Ryan is adorable.

Anyway, here's what I sniffed.

This order came from Ellen Hutson's store in record time, and as usual includes a little thank you card and gift of ribbon.

I want to thank y'all for the recommendations of stamp companies to check out. I think my favorite new-to-me recommendation so far is CAS-ual Fridays. I've seen the name around on blogs but had never looked that closely. Good stuff! In fact, as soon as I opened the box and snapped this photo, I put the CAS-ual Friday set Breathe to work.

I bought this set because it's got some lovely, encouraging sentiments in it that will be great for friends and family for years to come. Right now, I have a friend who hates the month of April--the cruelest month--for very good reason. Bad things happen to her every single April. Not "oh, I got a paper cut" sorts of bad things, but "loved ones die" sorts of bad things. Every. Single. April.

If I believed in curses, I'd believe she was cursed. It's really awful.

I usually give her a card or little treat in April, and we try hard to joke about it. This April, however, has been no joke and particularly hard on her. It's all just so very sad.

She's already gotten a sympathy card this month, and here's her end-of-April card from me.

I curved the April on the block to follow the curve of the swish and rather like how it distorts the word a bit, making it look a bit awkward and unbalanced and squashed on top.

She won't, of course, be able to "just let the grief go" (that has to be lived through) but she can let April go, and move into May with a hopeful heart. She's one strong lady of faith, and I know this sentiment is perfect for her.

I hope April has been kinder to you than to my friend. Is there a particular day or month that makes you feel cursed? Or perhaps blessed?

I've never had a "bad" day or month, but I've always loved November (so many birthdays, including my own, and Thanksgiving, and pumpkins and fall leaves and mums and crisp blue sky and sweater weather and so on!). My son Nick observed at the age of three that all good things happen on Thursdays. It's shocking how often that turns out to be true in our family.

What about you?

Supplies
stamps: Hero Arts (April), CAS-ual Fridays (swish and sentiment)
ink: Memento
paper: Papertrey Ink white
accessories: black half pearls, Corner Chomper